Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Shining by Stephen King

154 reviews

uranaishi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Mental illness, Sexism, Dementia, Grief, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Cancer, Excrement, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Vomit

sterregeertsema's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Lots of details in this book which made me super invested in the characters and the story.  The characters in the book really came to live. Also the way the horrors where described really made me freak out. 

especially the scene with the lady in the bathtub in room 217 gave me shivers. 

Well written and scary

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Suicide

regi_23's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Racism, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, and Violence

A lot of racial slurs which I wasn't anticipating.

fuathling's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Gore, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, and Racism

pizzaisjesus98's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Blood, Car accident, and Gore

Minor: Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Grief, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

chaptersbydani's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

BANNED BOOKS CHALLENGE READ:
Word on the street is that every one of Stephen King’s books have been banned/or challenged at some point since their publication. The Shining was challenged for “containing violence and demonic possession and [ridiculing] the Christian religion” in Wyoming and Alabama.
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I’m honestly shocked that I liked this as much as I did. This book broke my reading slump and kept me up all night. This is my first Stephen King book and I totally understand why he is the icon he is.

The way he writes is just mind blowing. It’s so simple. You never feel like it’s over your head and you always feel so close to figuring everything out. But you just never quite do until he reveals it. And despite the fact that basically every character is the most awful person I’ve ever encountered (Jack being the worst), I was sucked in immediately.

And the way the text was formatted??? Cherry on top. It added so much suspense and really illustrated the flirtation/ descent into madness.

There definitely was violence and demonic possession. I didn’t see the ridicule of Christianity (and wouldn’t have cared if it was there tbh.) My only issue is that I didn’t love King’s use of racial slurs. It made sense when the hotel used them and I could halfway accept that. Capitalism is an incredibly racist system and is violent- emotionally and physically- to Black folks (understatement). It makes sense that the Hotel, the symbol of capitalism here, was verbally violent to our main Black character. The other uses just felt out of line considering the author is white.

I wish that our main Black character, Dick, had more purpose in the book than guiding Danny and saving him and Wendy. It felt like he was just a tool for Danny’s development than anything. He’s a cool character and deserved a little bit more.

I will say, this is a book that I was pleasantly surprised lives up to its hype. I’m excited to watch the movie and see how it matches up. Also apparently there’s a sequel? I’m thinking of checking that out too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

bushrasbookbabbles's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

very different than the movie and while I appreciate both forms of art I understand why some changes must be made the shining just wasn’t the right book to make a movie there was too much importance on what was going on in the heads of the characters. Also king was weird again, he mentioned tits way too many times in ways that meant nothing. I was really just sad for Jack the whole time. I understood his rage and the shame and the desire to be better but also to be respected. Poor guy :/ 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Gore, Blood, Racism, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Child abuse, Alcohol, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Car accident, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

elisabethkatee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

holy shit. what a story. felt both very short (compared to others like ‘the stand’ and ‘it’) but also terribly long and in depth… it really sucks you in and makes you question things, just like the Overlook does i guess ! really loved this anyway and gonna read dr sleep next wooh!!

also i can see a little more why king didn’t like kubrick’s adaptation, especially when jack in many ways was a reflection of king himself in his drinking days… that slow descent into madness from a really genuine guy/father just doesn’t show through as much with nicholson, he’s kinda just like mad to begin with. haha idk i’ll have to watch the film again.

kinda hated all the racial slurs but we just close our eyes and pretend we do not see🫠🫣

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Toxic relationship, Murder, Violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Addiction, Child abuse, and Blood

zoe_reads87's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Body horror

iamthelizardqueen's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Finally picked this up and just devoured it. Excited to watch the movie and find all the differences. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, and Blood